Copa Libertadores

Club Tijuana 0-0 Palmeiras: Scoreless in the Copa Libertadores round of 16

Antonio Mohamed, Xolos de Tijuana

By Zac Lee Rigg

0

Apr 30, 2013 10:41:00 PM

Club Tijuana has yet to concede at home in the Copa Libertadores and Palmeiras still hasn't opened its account away in the competition.

The Copa Libertadores round of 16 first leg between Club Tijuana and Palmeiras finished scoreless.

Palmeiras took the initiative early and may have earned a penalty when Cristian Pallerano stepped on Wesley's foot in the box in the ninth minute. However, the Brazilian flailed his arms on his way down and the referee decided to ignore his pleas.

Tijuana's best chances of the early going came in the form of two chances for Fidel Martinez. The Ecuadorian shanked the first wide after a block fell to him at the top of the box, and a defender intervened to help the ball over the goal when it looked like Martinez would finish from six yards out.

Ten minutes before the end of the half, Bruno tipped aside a Fernando Arce free kick headed for the goal and Alfredo Moreno shot into the side netting.

In the second half, Moreno picked up an injury. In a surprisingly defensive move, coach Antonio Mohamed replaced him with Richard Ruiz.

Ruiz tested Bruno early, curling a left-footed shot from the top of the box that the Brazilian 'keeper dove to push around the post.

Mohamed also removed Martinez, seemingly content with a scoreless draw.